Home / Crime and Justice / Justice for Laura Schueler: Trans Advocate's Killer Jailed
Justice for Laura Schueler: Trans Advocate's Killer Jailed
10 Jun
Summary
- Killer sentenced nearly one year after victim's death.
- Defendant was on bond for armed robbery during the murder.
- Victim was known for LGBTQIA+ advocacy and compassion.
Nearly one year after the murder of Laura Schueler, Ajani Grimes, 19, has been sentenced to 25 to 29 years in prison. Schueler's body was found on the morning of June 6, 2025, near her home in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Grimes was out on bond for armed robbery when he committed the crime. He had also removed his electronic ankle monitor, making him a fugitive. Detectives identified Grimes as the perpetrator through shell casings found at the scene.
During the court hearing, prosecutors detailed how Grimes invited Schueler into his car, then shot her in the back of the head as she fled. The assistant prosecutor described the act as "enormously heinous and extremely gratuitous."
Grimes was arrested about a month after Schueler's death. He eventually accepted a plea deal for involuntary manslaughter, with his sentence also accounting for the October 2024 aggravated robbery and other charges.
Schueler's friends and family expressed their devastation. Her grandmother spoke of the unbearable loss, while her best friend wished Grimes to "rot in hell." Her cousin remembered Schueler as a kind, compassionate advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community who always showed up for others.
